Corinne wakes up just long enough to walk up to the house and fall into bed. I’m sitting in the living room while my sister and my girl are on their separate sides of the house showering. Sydney comes out first. Her long hair is still wet and hangs straight over her shoulders.

She smiles and walks over to me and I pull her down on my lap.

“You smell good.”

“You smell like the lake.” She nuzzles into me regardless.

“Don’t worry, I’m going to shower while you’re gone. Then it’s you and me for date four.”

“Jet skis?” She perks up.

“Yep, Jonah offered to let us use them tonight if you’re game.”

“That sounds amazing.”

“Well, I can’t find my contact solution,” Tara announces as she walks into the living room wearing her glasses. “And I completely forgot to pack underwear.”

“Ugh,” I groan at the overshare.

“Relax, I’m wearing my suit bottoms.”

Sydney sits tall on my lap. “I’m going into town if you want me to pick up some? Contact solution that is, not underwear.”

“Oh, no, that’s okay. I can get it tomorrow or the next day.” Tara waves her off.

“Go together,” I suggest.

Both girls look to me. “You both need to go to town, and I know neither of you like to shop alone.” I shrug. “Corinne and I will hold down the fort with our napping while you’re gone.”

They don’t speak, so I stand setting Sydney on the floor. “Cool, it’s settled. I’ll grill when you guys get back.”

22

SYDNEY

I rub my palms along my thighs. “Thanks for driving. I hate taking Tanner’s Firebird out. Knowing how much he loves it makes me nervous and I end up driving like fifteen miles an hour.”

“It’s no problem.”

It’s just me and Tara and Luke Bryan on the radio. She makes me more nervous than I am when driving Tanner’s precious car and I have to resist my natural tendency to babble. But I can’t just sit here mute either.

“Do you like country music?”

“Yeah, Tanner teases me about it constantly.” She turns the station before I can tell her I actually don’t mind it

“Like he’s one to talk. I found two songs by 98° on one of his Spotify playlists. And what’s with his obsession with Sinatra?”

“Oh, I know! His musical taste is all over the map and some of it is just strange. Every Christmas we have to listen to the Rat Pack Christmas album on repeat while we put up the tree.” Tara laughs and we share a commiserating glance before her smile falls and she returns her stare out the windshield.